Rugby union - World Rugby aiming for global season by end of 2016 Rugby union - World Rugby aiming for global season by end of 2016 Pin it Share The board member of the Argentine Rugby Union (UAR), Agustin Pichot, speaks during the press conference in which the coach of the Argentine national rugby team Los Pumas, Santiago Phelan (out of frame) announced his resignation to the post, at the headquarters of the UAR in Martinez, Buenos Aires, on October 22, 2013. Phelan, who had been widely expected to step down when his contract came to an end in December, resigned as coach of the Argentinian rugby team with immediate effect on Monday ending a five year spell in charge. Phelan has just come off a Four Nations tournament where the Pumas lost all six of their games.

AFP PHOTO / JUAN MABROMATAThe board member of the Argentine Rugby Union (UAR), Agustin Pichot, speaks during the press conference in which the coach of the Argentine national rugby team Los Pumas, Santiago Phelan (out of frame) announced his resignation to the post, at the headquarters of the UAR in Martinez, Buenos Aires, on October 22, 2013. Phelan, who had been widely expected to step down when his contract came to an end in December, resigned as coach of the Argentinian rugby team with immediate effect on Monday ending a five year spell in charge. Phelan has just come off a Four Nations tournament where the Pumas lost all six of their games. AFP PHOTO / JUAN MABROMATA (AFP Photo/JUAN MABROMATA) More - World Rugby is aiming for a global rugby union season unifying the North and South Hemispheres by the end of the year, top administrators said. "It's been a big challenge.

It's been on the agenda for some time but with (president) Bill (Beaumont) we're looking forward to getting it right," World Rugby vice-president and former Argentina captain Agustin Pichot said. "It's not going to be perfect, but it is there, we're not going to hide it. It's a big task, but we're confident we can achieve something by the end of the year hopefully. Maybe it's not perfect but we'll work hard for that." A unified global season has long been a sticking point between organisers of the Six Nations in the North and the Rugby Championship in the South. AFP BBC Sport - Rugby Union - Puma power: Argentinian rugby Puma power: Argentinian rugby Full record: Wales v Argentina Argentinian rugby has a reputation for hard-nosed, no-nonsense forward play, and the country's teams always provide a stern test for Wales. Over the years they have been perhaps the most feared scrummagers in world rugby, reflecting the macho, meat-eating culture of the country.

When the uncompromising forward power is allied to a ruthless kicker - Hugo Porta and Gonzalo Quesada to name just two - the Pumas have an efficient rugby machine capable of troubling all but the very best. Perhaps the emphasis on forward play has hindered the development of an all-round game in Argentina, their sides failing to make the most of such talented backs as Agustin Pichot and Felipe Contepomi. The dispersal of their rugby talent around the globe in the professional era has exposed their leading players to different rugby cultures, though. And any team coming off the pitch after facing the Pumas will know that they've been through the shredder. Wales v Argentina: The history Rugby was brought to Argentina by the British and the first game was played in the country in 1873. Graham Henry's Wales had some history with the Pumas The Argentinian Rugby Union was formed in 1899 by four clubs from Buenos Aires, taking the name of the River Plate Rugby Football Union. Later known as the Union Argentina de Rugby, they only became an official member of the International Rugby Board after being invited to the first World Cup in 1987.

Their Pumas nick-name is thought to be the result of a journalist on their first overseas tour to South Africa in 1965 mistaking the jaguar on their crest for a puma. Before 1998, Wales had met Argentina only once in a capped international (honours were shared in three non-cap games) - a 16-7 win for the home side at the Arms Park in the 1991 Rugby World Cup. There emerged something of a history between the Pumas and Graham Henry's Wales team, though. Wales faced Argentina at Stradey Park in November 1998 for Henry's second game in charge of the national side. Much of the attacking promise that was evident in their previous match against South Africa at Wembley was again on show as the backs tore the visiting defence apart. But the Pumas nearly snatched the game as their scrum ruthlessly drove through the lightweight Welsh front five. Barely able to hold up the scrum, Wales clung on for a 43-30 victory. The experience had a great effect on Henry's thinking on international rugby.

Peter Rogers, Ben Evans and Garin Jenkins were drafted into the front row, and ever after Henry favoured powerful front fives who were rarely bested in the tight. The solid platform helped Wales to Five Nations wins over France and England, leaving them on a high for their pre-World Cup summer tour to... Argentina. Wales challenged Argentina's beefy forwards The men in red were soon exposed to the harsh nature of an Argentinian tour, with no-holds-barred punch-ups a feature of the provincial games. In both Test matches Wales fell behind, but the character in the team helped see them through. A major factor was the dominance Wales held in the scrum. This seemed to infuriate the proud Pumas, leading them into petulant personal battles ahead of percentage play. A 36-26 win for the tourists in the first Test was followed by a 23-16 success in the second, the first time a British or Irish team had won a series in Argentina. After the tour, further Welsh successes followed against South Africa, Canada and France. As the men in red prepared for the opening of the Rugby World Cup at their new Millennium Stadium, the unbeaten record stood at eight games.

Argentina's talented backs do not always get the chance to shine On the biggest stage in the rugby world, Wales' opponents were again the now-familiar Pumas. Expectations in the country were soaring, but it turned into a damp squib of a game. Wales retained the whip hand in the forwards, virtually assuring victory, but their attacking game had been worked out by their opponents. The painstaking, precision kicking of Quesada kept the Pumas in the game, but a Colin Charvis try early in the second half sealed a Welsh victory, 23-18. The simmering rivalry between the two teams had again been evident, and the game was mainly memorable for a controversial fight between Charvis and Argentinian prop Roberto Grau. The Pumas went on to record a shock 28-24 success over Ireland before falling 47-26 at the quarter-final stage to France. Wales exited at the same stage against eventual champions Australia, but Henry's reign as the Great Redeemer had long passed its zenith.

Argentina gave Iestyn Harris a miserable Test debut The Pumas returned to Cardiff in the autumn of 2001 when a misfiring Wales handed the new redeemer, Iestyn Harris, his first cap after a mere handful of union games. With Harris predictably out of his depth, his opposite number Contepomi controlled the game and led his side to a crushing 30-16 win. When the two sides next met it was the first major test for Wales' new coach Mike Ruddock, a man brought in as a forward troubleshooter. Ruddock took Wales on a two-Test summer tour of Argentina - and suffered his first reverse in the job in the opening game in Tucuman. Wales' muddled defence saw them fall to a 50-44 defeat in an exasperating, 11-try encounter. Ruddock rallied his troops for the second Test in Buenos Aires where a much more composed display - and a dazzling first-half hat-trick by wing Shane Williams - gave them a 35-20 victory.

Williams got a spectacular hat-trick against the Pumas in 2004 Wales went through the glory of a Grand Slam and the ignominy of Ruddock's premature departure, while Argentina cemented their position near the top of the second tier of world rugby. That was emphasised in 2005 when a Pumas side missing 26 front-line players held the Lions to a 25-25 draw at the Millennium Stadium. The breakout moment for Los Pumas Around the regions The breakout moment for Los Pumas After RWC 2007 and a crucial meeting in south London, Argentina emerged with a strength and determination that couldn’t be ignored. by Frankie Deges 03/02/2015 12:21 The rumblings that Argentina’s elite players made on the field were too loud to be ignored and with most of their stars plying a trade in Europe’s top clubs, there were powers that were pushing for their inclusion in an enlarged Six Nations. Although it made sense in the short run as most of the top Pumas were then based in France and England, it didn’t happen. The year was 2007.

Less than a month after Los Pumas had shocked the oval ball world by taking the bronze medal at Rugby World Cup 2007 – twice beating hosts France – rugby’s fraternity met in Woking at the IRB Rugby Forum held in that part of south London over three days. Among the many issues facing the then International Rugby Board – since renamed World Rugby – one was Argentine rugby’s place in the global game. “We had hopes of joining the Six Nations but that was not possible,” recalls then national captain Agustín Pichot, one of five Argentines at the Woking meeting. “After that I was taken into a room and told in no uncertain way that if we were to join the top table in the southern hemisphere we had three key issues to confront: player availibility, a high-performance structure and a political-financial plan.” Financial support from World Rugby Despite the team’s success, the Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) was at the time under receivership and struggling in its relationship with World Rugby. There was a lot of mending to do.

Under new president, Porfirio Carreras, today a member of World Rugby’s Regulations Committee, the plan started to take shape in 2008 and with the financial support of World Rugby, 2 February 2009 marked the launch of the high-performance units, five of them distributed in the main rugby centres in Argentina. That would grow to today’s 14 centres which cater for more than 950 players. To some, it seemed that what Argentina was needing was a professional tournament. The UAR did not agree and wisely shielded its strong amateur game, currently with more than 115,000 players in 522 clubs underpinned by thousands of unpaid coaches and officials. “It took some time to convince people internally that we were not chasing a professional tournament and externally that we didn’t need a professional tournament. Looking back at all that we’ve done in the past seven years, it was the right thing to do,” argues Pichot, now the UAR’s representative on World Rugby and SANZAR Councils. A successful Junior World Championship in 2010 – when Julian Savea was the stand-out player – showed that Argentina was capable of organising important events.

Steady growth “You might not see growth as you are covering the game on a daily basis. Whenever we come here we see how many strides are being taken,” World Rugby Chairman Bernard Lapasset told a group of journalists at the time. “It is like watching your son grow… you might not notice the changes yourself but the uncle who comes every now and then to visit is surprised by how much your child has grown.” SANZAR announced that an Argentine team would probably play in a new tournament from 2012. To ensure the best players were available, World Rugby added a new test window to its Regulation 9 to include the future Rugby Championship. Another key support from Dublin arrived in the form of financial aid allowing the team’s inclusion to play twice a year against the All Blacks, Wallabies and Springboks. During the first three seasons, every Puma player made himself available and despite the fact that it took 18 games to secure the first win – last October against the Wallabies – Argentina had been competitive from the start and seldom found to be out of their depth.

Home-grown talent to the fore Extremely satisfying was that when Los Pumas beat France in Paris – a much favoured haunting ground for the team – they did it with 20 of the 23 players that came through the high-performance plan. Eighteen of the players that beat Australia in 2014 were members of the home-based 15 called Pampas that played in South Africa’s Vodacom Cup from 2010-13 and, in 2014, that won the Pacific Rugby Cup. The next stage in the master plan was to get a franchise into Super Rugby. That was finally confirmed in November 2014. An expensive venture, the UAR has ensured it can finance it 100 per cent without the need for external partners. “That is a key point in our plan,” said President Carlos Araujo. “In doing so, the benefits we generate will be reinvested in the game, allowing us to continue taking care of our growing grassroots.” Argentina stands only behind South Africa in World Rugby courses delivered. It has undertaken more than 700 courses around the country, spreading the game at every different level.

A further sign of Argentina's growing importance in rugby and in sport generally was its successful bid to host the Youth Olympic Games 2018 in Buenos Aires, where sevens will play a featured role. “Our aim as a union is to have more and better-prepared players,” said Araujo, who has just finished his first of four years at the helm. The solid way Argentine rugby has grown in the past seven years has meant a lot of work and progress. It all started on a cold November week in Woking. This feature forms part of our Around The Regions series exploring the game across the globe. Do you have an interesting story to tell about rugby around the world? Let us know by emailing aroundtheregions@worldrugby.org. Latest Videos Rugby in Argentina: How to understand the Jaguares and Pumas | The Roar Rugby in Argentina: How to understand the Jaguares and Pumas Roar Guru Can rugby in Argentina grow in spite of domestic issues? (AFP: Franck Fife) Related coverage This week, Harry Jones wrote about the Jaguares and his disappointment at their performance in this, their first year of Super Rugby.

Before we pass judgement on the Jaguares, we should put this into a bit of perspective. What is the history of rugby in Argentina? What political and social underpinnings affect the way rugby is played and enjoyed? This is not a dissertation, but a very quick summary that should help Roarers understand what is going on. There are four basic issues affecting rugby in Argentina: 1. Socioeconomic issues. 3. Rugby philosophy 4. Organisational issues Many of these issues are interrelated and cannot be seen as individual aspects. But let’s give it a try. Argentina is a country of constant animosities. First, it was the city port (Buenos Aires) against the ‘interior’ (provinces). In football, it is Boca Juniors against River Plate. In politics, it is Peron and the ‘gorillas’ (anti-peronistas). Even rugby has its own quirks. First, it was the ‘rich’ clubs that started rugby, all of English origin, such as Belgrano Athletic, Buenos Aires Cricket and Rugby, Lomas Athletic, and so on.

Others that became part of the elite group, such as Club Atlético San Isidro (CASI) or Club Universitario de Buenos Aires (CUBA), followed these clubs. People of higher socioeconomic status played for those clubs. This was all in Buenos Aires. The rest of the country didn’t ‘exist,’ except for a small group in Rosario, as one of them was a founding rugby club (Rosario Athletic). Rugby grew and other clubs were formed with less of an ‘elite’ background. There was Pucará, Obras Sanitarias, and Los Matreros, just to give some examples. Pucará was the first club, from the Southern suburbs, to beat a touring team. Obras Sanitarias was the first club from a modest background to become champions in 1953. But, by the late 60s, the interior was significant. There were a few players from outside Buenos Aires that played for the Pumas, although they were still a minority. Coaches, players, the matches, all were based in Buenos Aires. This generated huge animosity for the city from the rest of the country.

Buenos Aires didn’t even have its own rugby union; theirs was the national one, the Unión Argentina de Rugby (UAR). Eventually, the Unión de Rugby de Buenos Aires (URBA), supporting the city and surrounding areas, was founded in 1995 and the UAR became only the national union. To this day, there’s animosity between Buenos Aires and the provinces. Everyone wants to beat the big city. Cordoba and Tucumán became powerhouses, especially Tucumán. This is remarkable, as it is a very small and rather poor province. But whoever plays Tucumán should be prepared to go to war. Interestingly, rugby is not seen as a totally elite sport there, it is just more popular, though it has nothing compared to football. To this day, you have players from Buenos Aires and players from the rest of the country as almost two separate groups. Coaches have mainly been selected from Buenos Aires, although there have been exceptions. The president of the UAR is not from the big city either. And every election is a big political fight between the provinces and URBA.

Martin Gaitán, an associate coach, has limited experience as coach and had his playing career cut short by a health issue. He is from the “interior” but played for CASI. Felipe Contepomi is also an assistant coach, famous internationally; he played his rugby for Newman in Buenos Aires, an elite school in the northern suburbs. The current country president is a graduate of this school. The majority of the Jaguares team is from the provinces. Professionalism was strongly supported by the rest of the country and fought very hard by URBA. Buenos Aires was adamant they didn’t want anything to do with professionalism. Some of their clubs are total dinosaurs; CUBA does not allow women as members. The most ferocious attacks on rugby’s professionalism come from the Buenos Aires crowds to this day. Nowadays, there is a provincial national championship, as mentioned above, and a national club championship. The leading URBA teams from the Top 14 tournament qualify for the national club competition. A Buenos Aires team has won it both years (CUBA and Hindú). The championship existed before but it has been raised in level and organisation recently.

The former national club championship has always been won by Buenos Aires teams except for Duendes (Rosario) twice, Jockey Club (Rosario) once and La Tablada (Cordoba) once. There is another issue too. Argentinians seem to have a love affair with ‘leaders’ (to be generous with the term). They seek a strong person to be in charge. In football, they absolutely adore Diego Maradona. They tolerate Lionel Messi, despite his humble disposition. They want their leaders to be noisy, loud and maybe even a little obnoxious. This is why Gus Pichot is now so important. He is powerful and strong. Despite coming from an elite old club, CASI, Pichot’s skills as a politician are remarkable. He has the rest of the country supporting him (albeit some reluctantly). He has managed to get incredible support from World Rugby. Graham Henry told me that the only reason he went to Argentina to help the Pumas was because Pichot asked him. In rugby, Argentina sees the scrum as a psychological weapon to defeat the other team. The scrum is the essence, the beginning of every thing that has to do with the game.

The “bajada” was a tool to dominate the other teams. The feeling is that if you win the scrum, you manage the rest. An Argentinian cannot conceive of having a weak scrum, it is unacceptable. The biggest criticism of refereeing in Super Rugby by Argentine rugby fans is the scrum. They do not understand and are vociferous with the put in. They cannot accept that the ball can go in on an angle. It removes the purity and the essence of the scrum for them. But the Jaguares do not have a front row strong to dominate Super Rugby. So being weak at what is the essence of their existence is a huge mental issue. I once spoke with Mike Cron about the scrum and he said that, for NZ, the scrum is just a tool to return the ball to play. He just wants a clean and fast ball. The technique is there to get the ball out to do something else with it. Kevin Mealamu once told me that, for any All Black forward, their preferred team to play against was the Pumas, because they loved the scrum confrontation. They knew that if they did well against the Pumas, they did a good job.

For Argentines, it is a domination tool. Getting the ball out is nice. A scrum pushover try is the pinnacle for any Argentine fan. Many Roarers have been complaining about the fields where the Jaguares play. Why there are limitations or areas blocked? It is rather simple. There are no rugby specific stadiums in Argentina. Despite the very long tradition of rugby, somehow they never managed to get their act together. In the 1960s, the Pumas and other touring sites played in Buenos Aires at the Gimnasia y Esgrima field in Palermo. The stadium is small and not in good shape. Then they moved the matches to Ferro Carril Oeste, a football club. The stadium was bigger and had amazing grass, but it was rented from the club. The Pumas also play in Velez Sarsfield, another football club. The Jaguares have been using this one. There are also no new stadiums in Argentina, besides the one in La Plata where the Pumas play frequently. The bad economic situation and poor political environment made it very difficult to build anything new. Most stadiums are in poor shape and were designed for football.

Some have athletic tracks around them, like River Plate’s ground, which was the site of many football World Cup matches. The Pumas and Jaguares deserve a proper stadium. But where to build it? Due to the Buenos Aires against the rest situation, it becomes almost impossible to reach an internal consensus. The country cannot presently afford two stadiums. Even if they managed to find the resources, it will be a virtual civil war to decide on where to build the second one. Buenos Aires, the metropolis, has the crowds, the club numbers and players but they are not considered as passionate as the provinces. What most people would find surprising, but as an Argentinian I find very normal, is that the UAR, Pichot and everyone else knew the Rugby Championship was going to happen a long time before the first match, and that the Jaguares had joined the Super Rugby and would need a stadium. But the plans were sloppy and done at the last minute. There was a feeble attempt to build a stadium at CASI, in the northern suburbs of Buenos Aires. CASI is a very traditional club with a huge history of success and many famous players. Pichot is a former CASI player as well.

But the club turned it down. It was a crazy idea. There were no other reasonable plans so, at the last minute, the UAR tried to find somewhere to play. This is not embarrassing. This is normal. They found Velez Sarsfield as they had a tradition of playing there. However, the UAR must confront the stadium issue and figure out how to build one. Or two. The economic crisis doesn’t help. Associated with the stadium is the practice location for the Jaguares and Pumas. They don’t have a dedicated space. Over the last couple of years, with SANZAAR and World Rugby support, UAR has built five ‘high performance’ sites around the country. They have to be upgraded for a fully professional team. Maybe one (crazy) way to get two stadiums and training facilities built is having two Super Rugby franchises, one for Buenos Aires and one for the rest of the country. I can only imagine the grumblings such a proposal would create, but there are sufficient players to support this idea. All big changes in Argentine rugby have occurred as a result of major crises or events.

The Pumas rose to the occasion in 1965 when they had to tour South Africa and South Africa sent two coaches to help them. The Pumas made it to the quarter-finals of a Rugby World Cup for the first time in 1999 when local coaches resigned at the last minute and Alex Wyllie from New Zealand took over. When Phelan, selected by Pichot himself, was failing terribly they brought Henry to save them. True advances came from outside influences. The Jaguares, in particular, need this outside help too. They thought that having a Pumas assistant coach and many Pumas players would be enough. In my opinion, they needed a proper SANZAAR adviser or assistant coach to guide them for the first two years until they figure it out themselves. They are making many rookie mistakes and their particular idiosyncrasies are making life difficult. The results may put the Jaguares into a bad rut. This could be dangerous, as it could affect the Pumas and the viability of Super Rugby in Argentina. SANZAAR needs the Jaguares to succeed, and I hope they are supportive and helpful.

Hopefully, Greg Peters, who recently joined Argentine rugby, can fulfil his role and provide sufficient guidance to help deal with some of these issues. Argentina Pumas claim historic Rugby Championship win over Wallabies Argentina Pumas claim historic Rugby Championship win over Wallabies Gavrilova, Nadal move to third round Play Video Pumas claim historic win over Wallabies Argentina's Pumas won their first Rugby Championship match as they outmuscled the Wallabies in Mendoza. Up Next Gavrilova, Nadal move to third round Play Video Gavrilova, Nadal move to third round Gavrilova, Nadal move to third round Daria Gavrilova has continued her winning run at the Australian Open, while Serena Williams cruised through her second round match. Up Next Plays of the Week Plays of the Week Nick Kyrgios meltdowns, stunning free kicks and clutch NFL plays, these are the most exciting, silly and downright crazy plays in the sporting world this week. Up Next Cahill double sinks 10-man Mariners Play Video Cahill double sinks 10-man Mariners Tim Cahill submitted a Thursday night masterclass at AAMI Park to put Melbourne City back on track.

Up Next Brilliant Smith steers Australia to victory Play Video Brilliant Smith steers Australia to ... Brilliant Smith steers Australia to victory Steve Smith becomes the fastest Australian to reach 3000 runs in the one day format during his side's victory. Up Next Harden leads Rockets to victory over Bucks Play Video Harden leads Rockets to victory over Bucks James Harden scored 38 points as the Houston Rockets defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 111 - 92. Up Next Five things I learned at the Australian Open Play Video Five things I learned at the Australian Open Sports writer Emma Quayle learns five things from day three of the Australian Open 2017 in Melbourne. Up Next Australian Open: Day 3 Wrap Play Video Australian Open: Day 3 Wrap Australian Open: Day 3 Wrap Alex De Minaur started well but couldn't defeat Sa, Querrey in the second round of the Australian Open. Roger Federer and Angelique Kerber both winning their matches to progress to Round 3. Pumas claim historic win over Wallabies Argentina's Pumas won their first Rugby Championship match as they outmuscled the Wallabies in Mendoza.

MENDOZA: It was the page in history everyone wanted to avoid but after the preparation from hell the Wallabies will be known forever more as the first team to fall to Argentina in the Rugby Championship. It took Los Pumas three years to reach their goal. With a final throw of the dice in the four-nation championship they pulled off a 21-17 win over the team ranked third in the world to claim their first victory in front of a deafening home crowd on Saturday. Related Content Until the facts are all in on the 'Beale incident', let's just call an allegation an allegation The Wallabies will fly home to Australia with serious questions being asked about their execution and decision-making on and off the field. This was a must-win Test match. For pride and for unity, after Kurtley Beale's mid-air verbal stoush with a staff member exposed deep fissures in Ewen McKenzie's team. Advertisement In the end, Beale could only watch from the sideline as the teammates who fought for him to stay in Argentina took a commanding 14-0 lead but collapsed under the weight of the Pumas' unpredictable style and superior scrum.

Two-and-a-half yellow cards - against Nick Phipps, Michael Hooper and two hastily reversed cards against James Horwill and Israel Folau - did not help matters. The Wallabies were also, for yet another week, unlucky to have a try disallowed upon review early in the second half. SHARE Pumas captain Agustin Creevy and team mates celebrate after their historic win. Photo: Getty Images "There's going to be distractions wherever you go, we do a lot of travelling, you have to turn up on the night and be able to do the job. We [turned up] and they were better and the crowd were really solid behind them." It started so well, with two converted tries in the first 13 minutes to Tevita Kuridrani and Scott Higginbotham. Photo gallery Pumas down Wallabies in Mendoza Argentinian No.8 Leonardo Senatore exploited an overlap when he scored in the corner in the 35th minute, but two missed shots at goal from five-eighth Nicolas Sanchez had the Pumas trailing 14-5 for all but the final breath of the first half.

In the 40th minute a costly penalty against Australia handed Sanchez the chance to peg back the deficit. "That kept them in touch and gave them hope," McKenzie said. "That penalty got them within a converted try of putting pressure on us." In the face of a 16-8 penalty count against them and a second half bookended by yellow cards, with Kuridrani's disallowed try thrown in for good measure, the Wallabies could put only three more points on the board for the rest of the match. Five-eighth Bernard Foley battled green laser beams in his face to miss two out of three shots at goal in the second half, and Hooper was very unlucky to be sent to the bin with six minutes left after failing to change direction in a charge-down attempt on fullback Joaquin Tuculet. But Australia butchered what little possession it had and failed to cope with the Pumas' offload game they had spent the week warning each other about. A try to winger Juan Imhoff in the 53rd minute and five points from the boot of Sanchez put the home side 18-17 in front with 25 minutes to go.

Both sides missed two shots at goal in the next 10 minutes but when Hooper was sent to the bin with six minutes to go, Sanchez put the nail in the coffin. McKenzie had a bit to say about the calls that didn't go Australia's way but acknowledged the Pumas' clever game plan that successfully rattled the Wallabies. "There were things there we'll examine but you can't get away from the fact that Argentina played a very harassing game and they forced errors and we made mistakes and never got any rhythm," he said. "They were able to control possession, keep us at the right end of the field and keep us under the pump." Rugby World Cup 2015: Ireland v Argentina - BBC Sport BBC Sport Rugby World Cup: Ireland lose to Argentina Play video Pumas can beat Ireland - ContepomiVideo Pumas can beat Ireland - Contepomi 2:48 Play video Schmidt explains back-row selection Video 1 minute 13 seconds Video 1 minute 13 seconds1:13 Play video O'Connell: What rugby means to me Video 1 minute 31 seconds Video 1 minute 31 seconds1:31 Play video 'How do I feel?

Dumb question' Video 1 minute 52 seconds Video 1 minute 52 seconds1:52 Play video Healy relishes clash with Pumas pack Video 1 minute 34 seconds Video 1 minute 34 seconds1:34 Play video Stat attack: Who has scored 25 RWC tries? Video 24 seconds Play video Pumas can beat Ireland - Contepomi Got a TV Licence? You need one to watch live TV on any channel or device, and BBC programmes on iPlayer. It’s the law.

Quarter-final result: Ireland 20-43 Argentina Moroni, Imhoff 2, Tuculet tries, Sanchez 4 cons, 5 pens for Arg Fitzgerald, Murphy tries, Madigan 2 pens & 2 cons for Ire Australia v Scotland (16:00 BST) Use audio icon to listen to Radio 5 live commentary Use live coverage tab for BBC Radio Ulster Live Reporting All times stated are UK Get involved Pumas enjoy biggest win over Ireland Ireland 20-43 Argentina Posted at 15:30 Argentina have now beaten Ireland in three of the four World Cup meetings between the sides, but this 23-point winning margin was the Pumas' biggest against Ireland in Test rugby. The Pumas were impressive, attacking with verve, and clinical when the tryline loomed. They will, you assume, be oozing confidence in the semi-finals, whoever their opponents will be, be it Australia or Scotland. Talking of which. The last semi-final of this tournament will start in under 30 minutes and live coverage of the Twickenham encounter has already started which means it's time to shut down this live commentary.

To join my colleague Mike Henson, who will guide you through the match, simply click here. Bye for now. BBC Rugby in South Africa Rugby in South Africa Tweet on Twitter Rugby is one of South Africa’s big three sports, alongside soccer and cricket. For the many South African fans of the game, rugby is a serious matter, a source of bursting pride and joy – or shattering disappointment. The country has traditionally fared extremely well on the world stage, and South African fans expect their national team to win every game it plays. To help your understanding, here’s a quick guide to the game of rugby in South Africa: The changing face of South African rugby Sport, like no other South African institution, has shown it has the power to heal old wounds. When the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup on home turf in 1995, Nelson Mandela donned the No 6 shirt of the team’s captain – Francois Pienaar, a white Afrikaner – and the two embraced in a spontaneous gesture of racial reconciliation that melted hearts around the country. A single moment, and 400 years of colonial strife and bitterness … suddenly seemed so petty.

For the disadvantaged people of the old apartheid South Africa, rugby was the white man’s game, and even more so the game of the Afrikaner. Traditionally, most communities of colour played soccer while, for white communities, rugby was the winter sport of choice. Things have changed in South Africa since 1994, however, and the South African Rugby Football Union has been working hard to make rugby the game of all South Africans, mainly through an active development programme throughout the country. At provincial age-group levels, players of colour are playing an increasingly prominent role as the development programme and the quota system begin to bear fruit. Through the quota system, players of colour are being given the opportunity to compete at the higher levels of the game, and a growing number are showing that they belong there by securing places in Super 14 teams and – the highest honour for a South African rugby player – in the Springbok side. The Springboks The Springboks are the national rugby team and traditionally one of the sport’s international powerhouses. Every talented South African youngster dreams of one day wearing “the green and gold”.

The Boks have an outstanding international scoresheet, and for many years enjoyed a winning record against all other nations, until a slight slump in performances after South Africa’s return from international isolation in 1992. New Zealand’s All Blacks now hold a slight edge in head-to-head meetings with the Springboks, but the South Africans retain a winning record against all other countries. There have been five big highlights since South Africa’s return from international isolation. The first of these took place in 1995 when the country hosted rugby’s biggest tournament, the World Cup. The Springboks made it through to the final at Ellis Park where, spurred on by a frenzied home crowd, and with the whole of South Africa willing them on, they trumped the All Blacks 15-12 in extra time to lift the sport’s most coveted trophy. The Boks’ display, opening with a win over defending champions Australia and finishing with victory over favourites New Zealand, united the country, bringing people of all colours together just a year after South Africa’s first democratic elections.

The second highlight occurred in 1998, when South Africa broke New Zealand’s hold on the Tri-Nations, a competition that matches up the “big three” of the southern hemisphere, with Australia completing the trio. The Kiwis had won the first two competitions without losing a match, but Gary Teichmann’s 1998 side showed spirit and poise in winning all four of their matches to lift the title for the first time. The third highlight included the Springboks’ 1998 Tri-Nations title and went beyond it. It was a run of 17 victories in succession, equalling the world record run by New Zealand between 1965 and 1970 (which, appropriately, was halted by South Africa). During their 1997/98 run, South Africa defeated Australia, New Zealand, France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Italy – all of them, with the exception of Italy, teams rated amongst the world’s elite. After a rough period, during which Springbok coaches came and went with alarming rapidity, Jake White was appointed coach in 2003.

He would go on to lead the team in more matches than any other Springbok coach. He was also at the helm when the fourth great highlight was achieved. In October 2007, South Africa beat England 15-6 in the final of the World Cup in Paris, after advancing through the tournament unbeaten, to join Australia as the only two-time winner of the William Webb Ellis Trophy. Not long afterwards, Jake White was named International Rugby Board (IRB) Coach of the Year and Bryan Habana IRB Player of the Year. The Springboks were named IRB Team of the Year and, at the Laureus Sports Awards in February 2008, World Sports Team of the Year. The following year they captured their third Tri-Nations title, defeating the All Blacks three times on their way to the title. They also beat the British and Irish Lions 2-1 in a three-match series. In New Zealand, in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, the Springboks won all of their pool matches, defeating Wales, Namibia, Fiji, and Samoa.

They exited the tournament at the quarterfinals stage, falling 11-9 to Australia, which, incredibly, was the sole statistic they trailed the Wallabies by when the match was over. Tri-Nations The Tri-Nations was an annual competition that took place in July and August from 1996 to 2011 to decide the top international team in the southern hemisphere. The competition was born of a demand for more regular competition between the southern hemisphere superpowers following the success of the 1995 World Cup. Between them, the three competing countries – New Zealand, South Africa and Australia – have won six out of the seven World Cups contested since 1987, so to be crowned Tri-Nations champion was a great honour. Tri-Nations champions: 1996: New Zealand The Rugby Championship In 2012, the Tri-Nations competition was expanded to include Argentina and became known as the Rugby Championship. Reigning World Cup champions, New Zealand, became the first winners of the new competition.

The Rugby Championship champions: 2013: New Zealand Super Rugby The Super Rugby competition features 15 regional teams from South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, with each country providing five teams. The forerunner of the competition was the Super 10, contested by provincial teams from the three countries as well as Samoa in 1993 and 1994 and Tonga in 1995. In 1996, the competition became the Super 12, featuring provincial and regional teams from South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, with the Tongans and Samoans falling out. Two more teams were added in 2006 and it became the Super 14. The Super Rugby competition begins in February and runs through until August.

Five South African teams are selected from the Sharks (made up of players from the Natal Sharks), the Stormers (made up of players from Western Province and Boland), the Cheetahs (made up of players from the Cheetahs, Griquas and Griffons), the Lions (made up of players from the Lions, Pumas and Leopards), the Bulls (made up of players from the Blue Bulls and Falcons) and the Southern Kings (made up of players from the Kings, Bulldogs and Eagles) Back in 1993, the team then known as Transvaal (now the Lions) beat New Zealand team Auckland to win the first Super 10 competition. But it was to be a long wait for local fans for the next South African Super rugby winner: until 2007, when the Bulls scored a converted try after the final hooter to sneak a 20-19 win against the Sharks in Durban. Super Rugby champions: 1993: Transvaal (SA) Currie Cup The Currie Cup, the premier provincial rugby competition in South Africa, was first contested in 1892.

The format of the Currie Cup varied from year to year, and finals were held intermittently until 1968, after which the final became an annual event. Up to and including 2011, the most successful province in the history of the Currie Cup is Western Province with 32 titles (four shared), followed by the Blue Bulls with 23 (four shared), the Lions with 10 (one shared), the Natal Sharks with six, and the Cheetahs with four (one shared). Other teams that have lifted the trophy include Griquas (three times) and Border (twice, both shared). For many years the biggest rivalry in South African rugby was between Western Province and the Blue Bulls. During the early to mid-1990s this was superseded by a three-way rivalry between Natal, the Lions and Western Province. The Blue Bulls have returned to Currie Cup prominence, however, while the Free State Cheetahs won three titles in succession, from 2005 to 2007, including sharing the Currie Cup with the Blue Bulls in 2006. The Currie Cup takes place roughly between July and October.

The format divides 14 teams into eight Premier Division and six First Division teams. The teams, in alphabetical order, are: Blue Bulls, Boland Cavaliers, Border Bulldogs, Eagles, Falcons, Free State Cheetahs, Golden Lions, Griffons, Griquas, Leopards, Mighty Elephants, Natal Sharks, Pumas and Western Province. Currie Cup champions (since 1994): 2013: Natal Sharks 1994: Transvaal Vodacom Cup The Vodacom Cup has become an important competition on the South African rugby calendar. It takes place at the same time as the Super 14 competition – starting in late February and finishing in mid-May – and thus creates a platform for talented young players who might otherwise not get a chance to make their mark. It has also been a fertile breeding ground for strong players from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, thanks to the enforcement of quotas. Quotas, successfully implemented lower down, now extend through the higher levels of South African rugby, including the Super 14.

The Vodacom Cup is divided into two sections – North and South – with the top two teams advancing to the semi-finals and playing cross-section matches of one- versus-two for a place in the final. The North is made up of the Griffons, Pumas, Golden Lions, Griquas, Blue Bulls, Leopards XV, Valke, and the Limpopo Blue Bulls. The South’s teams are the Sharks XV, Free State XV, Western Province, Tusker Simba XV (Kenya), SWD Eagles, EP Kings, Boland Cavaliers, and Border. Since the first Vodacom Cup season in 1998, up to and including 2014, the Golden Lions have won four titles, including a hat-trick from 2002 to 2004, while Griquas have also claimed four titles. The Golden Lions have taken the honours on five occasions, while there have also been titles for and Blue Bulls , the Falcons, Western Province, Griqualand West, Free State Cheetahs and Argentina’s Pampas XV. Vodacom Cup champions:

Question: If you were a member of the 'Pumas' rugby union team, which country would you play for?
Answer: Argentina